Chartering with someone else's boat

[visionsinsight]

I am considering options for chartering. What tips would you have for someone who thinks about getting a bareboat charter and man it myself, then sell berth spaces to make a profit?

I have STCW, ASA 104 about to take 105,106 navigation or some equivalent. What would you suggest would be best to get to my six pack quickest?

Thanks

[JPA Cate]

Depends on where you are. Many places it is not legal for someone unlicensed for carrying passengers to carry them. I'd imagine some of the charterers expressly forbid it, and doing so would void your contract with them. It is at least unwise to intentionally risk being arrested in a foreign to you country.

And, in my opinion, you lack the experience to take on passengers. I'm sorry to sound negative to you, but your responsibilities are to the welfare of boat and the crew, primarily, and as far as I know, you've never been a skipper unsupervised, nor even seen a coral head! There are ways inexperienced people can get in difficulty in coral waters, or simply just stone reefs, from visual and timing issues they did not anticipate.

Please don't do this at this stage of your learning.

Ann

[Chotu]

The bareboat company won’t permit this, plus everything else Ann said. And insurance.

Find a new plan. This one won’t work.

[visionsinsight]

Thank you. No I wouldn't dare. I'm just looking forward. I know I need experience and I am trying to find as much as I can right now. I'm basically asking any sailor at all th marinas near me if they know anyone who needs crew, long or short trips. And searching on sites like this and GoSailing.

If you know of anyone in the South Eastern US let me know. I am willing to travel to where they are if the circumstances allow.

Thanks again for your input.

[dickfred]

Originally Posted by visionsinsight

Thank you. No I wouldn't dare. I'm just looking forward. I know I need experience and I am trying to find as much as I can right now. I'm basically asking any sailor at all th marinas near me if they know anyone who needs crew, long or short trips. And searching on sites like this and GoSailing.

If you know of anyone in the South Eastern US let me know. I am willing to travel to where they are if the circumstances allow.

Thanks again for your input.

There are also forums for this. Boats seeking crew, and crew seeking boats.

[Ms J-37]

[I agree wholeheartedly with the response, "please don't do this."

[jmschmidt]

If you advertise a fixed price by the bunk or cabin you may have all sorts of problems with the law, insurance, licenses, taxes and the people you charter the boat from. But if you bare-boat charter from a major charter company and just get your guests to split the cost, that's done all the time.

The Moorings has, or had, an arrangement for their International Airline regatta in the BVI where racing crew members could sign up and pay by bunk on one of their boats in the competition. Don't know what kind of qualifications a prospective racer needed to get a bunk. It's a pretty serious competition over several days so newbies probably need not apply.

[Hoosierdoc]

if you buy a boat and put it in charter fleet and get USCG licensed you can sublease your weeks and be a charter captain selling rooms. At least with moorings

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by visionsinsight

I have STCW, ASA 104 about to take 105,106 navigation or some equivalent. What would you suggest would be best to get to my six pack quickest?

No info in your profile about where you are... but if you're U.S.based, go to the Coast Guard site for licensing info.

https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchan...er_credential/

If you have the sea time, a formal course at a professional school could be fastest/least painful way to prep for and then sit the exams. That would also depend on their course scheduling, etc.

The drill is normally something like a couple of weeks classroom, then you take the tests. If you pass all that, you apply directly to USCG for the credential... with medical test, drug test, etc. paperwork accompanying your application.

Some schools combine teaching for both the 6-pack and the 100-ton credentials into the same course... and the "low tonnage" tests are only slightly more in-depth.

-Chris

[Mirage35]

I know one or two people who do something similar with no relevant license. They keep the advertising word of mouth, keep a low profile, and as often as not the "charter" is rental of a private boat from someone they know.

They're sufficiently experienced to manage it and probably not get into trouble.

But, ever time I hear about one of their trips, I think about what would happen if they ever do have a problem. Once the insurance company starts investigating that could turn into a pretty expensive lesson.